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Anulty, $10; Dennis Brawley, $10; Stanislaus Wharton, $10; James C. Maguire, $20; Abraham Hildebrand, $10; John Young, $20; James Meloy, $10; Peter Levergood, $10; Isaac Proctor, $10; Silas Moore, $10; Charles Litzinger, $24.47; Johnston Moore, $10; and other smaller subscriptions making in all $828.38 3/4."
A biographer of Rev. Morgan John Rhees, the founder of Beulah, claimed that Rhees had founded, in 1803, at Beulah, the first free school in Cambria County, but that Father Gallitzin had previously started a subscription school. Commenting on this statement, the late George T. Swank, when editor of The Johnstown Tribune, said that Father Gallitzin having served St. Michael's parish as pastor for forty years without one cent of salary, the people of Loretto could well afford to pay for the education of their children.
Archibald Christy, who had been a Revolutionary soldier was probably the first teacher who taught subscription school. The Hon. George M. Wertz in a little booklet issued by him about the Walnut Grove schools published a fac simile cut of a bill presented by Christy to the County Commissioners for the tuition of three poor children under what was opprobriously known as "the pauper law," passed in 1809, for the education of children of the poor.
John Miller, father of the late Charles Miller, of Loretto, Joseph Miller, Esq., of Wilmore, and Mrs. Francis Eberly, also taught school under Father Gallitzin. He was a splendid penman, as many of the old-time schoolteachers were. 'Squire Miller related to the writer that one day Father Gallitzin came into the room in which his father was sitting, in a state of perturbation of temper and exclaimed, "Miller, I do believe that if the Evil One with `Damnation' written across his forehead would run on the Democratic ticket some people would vote for him."
Father Gallitzin As a Controversialist.
The writer has before him a copy of a little work entitled "A Defense of Catholic Principles," published in 1816 by Father Gallitzin and printed by S. Engles, Pittsburgh, and another little book entitled "Letters to a Protestant Friend" as a supplement to the former, printed by Thomas Foley, which works were kindly loaned by P. J. Little, Esq.
That "Protestant Friend" may have been the Rev. Rees Lloyd, a Congregational minister, founder of the
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